Mombasa County authorities announced they had suspended two officials following the demolition of an 11-story building.
The incident left one person dead.
The body of Yusuf Ali Abdi was recovered from the rubble on Sunday and later buried at Kikoani in Mombasa County,11 days after he went missing.
He was last seen walking into the building to inspect a house he wanted to book.
Governor Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir addressed concerns over the delay in retrieving the body, explaining that it was impossible to remove the body before the demolition.
He cited safety concerns and structural instability at the site.
As part of the inquiry into the tragedy, one county official has been suspended, while another has been sent on compulsory leave, officials said.
Nassir assured the public that an independent task force was leading the probe.
“There is no county official who is involved in the investigation. The task force has already collected samples as part of its technical assessment,” he said.
Human rights organizations are now demanding swift justice and full accountability.
Operations at Coast General and Referral Hospital, which had been affected during the controlled demolition process, have resumed.
The demolition marked a historic moment as it was the first time explosives were used in a controlled demolition in Kenya.
Authorities prioritized public safety throughout the process, officials explained. Mombasa County Commissioner Mohammed Noor confirmed that over 60 families were safely evacuated before the building was brought down.
And as part of efforts to ensure safe
construction, the county has suspended 20 additional construction projects.
This is after investigators found that the same engineers, architects, and county officials who worked on the collapsed building were also involved in the affected sites.
The tragedy has reignited debate on building safety standards and the enforcement of regulations in Mombasa County and other parts of the country.
Dozens of other structures have collapsed while under construction in several parts of the country in tragedies over poor workmanship.
There has been little action on those responsible for the collapsed structures.
Last week, five people were killed when a building under construction collapsed in Suneka, Kisii County.
The families of the victims are mourning amid ongoing investigations.
Officials from the county governments, the National Construction Authority, the police and the Ministry of Works are investigating the incidents.
